Top Al-Badr commander Zeenat-ul-Islam, associate killed in Kulgam

Top Al-Badr commander Zeenat-ul-Islam was killed along with an associate in a gunfight with the government forces in Katapora village of Yaripora area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday.

Zeenat-ul-Islam

Reports said that a joint team of army’s 34 RR, SOG and CRPF laid a siege at Katpora area of Yaripora at around 5:30 p.m.

The news agency GNS quoted an army officer said that soon after the joint team approached the suspected spot, a group of militants believed to be three in number, who were coming out from the residential area while trying to break the cordon and opened fire upon them, triggering off a brief gunfight.

“In the gunfight which lasted for some time in an open field, two militants were killed and the operation has been suspended as of now in wake of darkness, “the report quoted the officer as having said.

He said that the bodies are visible, lying on the ground near the encounter site and are yet to be recovered.

“The operation was launched in the area following the specific inputs about the presence of the group of militants led by Zeenat ul Islam Shah alias Dr Usman,” the officer said, adding that so far it seems that Zeenat has been “gunned down.”

The second militants have been identified as Shakeel Ahmad Dar alias Faisal of Chilipora, Shopian. Zeenat was earlier affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and later he joined Al Badr militant outfit. Following the gunfight, authorities snapped internet services in the Kulgam district. (GNS)